From Making Aliyah to Making a Difference

The Hebrew word “Aliyah” (עליה) literally means “going up”. It was originally used when Jews were called up during services to read from the Torah. Today, it also refers to the process of emigrating from the Jewish diaspora to become citizens of Israel. For many Ethiopian Jews, Aliyah represents the fulfillment of a dream passed down for generations. Making Aliyah is therefore meaningful not only individually, but collectively, as it constitutes an ancestral return to the Holy Land.

Ethiopian Jews in particular faced many obstacles in the diaspora. In the 1970s, many fled Ethiopia to Sudan to escape persecution, where they lived in Sudanese refugee camps. The State of Israel led two major campaigns to rescue Ethiopian Jews: Operation Moses i
n 1984 and Operation Solomon in 1991. The Ethiopian National Project checked in with several Ethiopian Israelis about their lives after making Aliyah. We ask, was it worth the risk to come to Israel? For each person, not only had their own successes been made possible by Aliyah but becoming Israeli also gave them the opportunity to give back to their own communities and become leaders today. The promise of Aliyah, which their families had clung onto for generations in Ethiopia, was exactly what they’d dreamed it would be.

Take Elizabet’s story: Elizabet Legesse was born in Addis Ababa, and her journey to Israel was not an easy one. Her mother bravely worked to secure documentation for Jews hoping to escape Ethiopia. When Elizabet was 10 years old her mother was caught and her entire family arrested. She survived two years in prison, and another year struggling to obtain passage to Israel. She finally made Aliyah at the age of 13.

Despite her early hardships, Elizabet went on to earn her BA in Special Education and her MA in Psychological Aspects of Education from Haifa University. She worked at her local immigration resource center for 10 years. Drawing from her own experiences, Elizabet grew passionate about assuring that everyone in her community could successfully integrate into Israeli society. She went on to become as a counselor at an early childhood center in Haifa, and currently serves as an ENP regional supervisor.

Similarly, Elimelech Mamo made Aliyah from Ethiopia at age 12. Here, he earned his teaching certificate and underwent training in public leadership development. He went on to become the director of an absorption center for arrivals from Ethiopia. Elimelech fought for increased worker’s rights, especially for the women in his community. In the 37 years since he made Aliyah, Elimelech has had an incredible impact in Israel, and has made a home for himself and his four children in Ashkelon.  

As we celebrate national Aliyah week, it is important to recognize the strength and resilience that carried so many Ethiopian Jews to Israel. Aliyah not only represents a return to the Holy Land, but a pathway to a better life. Elizabet, Elimelech, and many more, used their struggles as motivation to help others. We are so proud of everyone in the ENP community who have achieved success and now serve as role models for the next generation.

Article contributed by Jessica Powers